God is holy: no darkness!
The Light of the World (Manchester Art Gallery) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
All human experience understands the relationship between darkness and light. Those who love wickedness crave the darkness to hide their deeds (John 3:19).
Jesus insisted that He is the "light of the world" (John 8:12). Now in His glorified state, the Lord Jesus--our King of Kings and Lord of Lords--is described as "dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto" (1 Timothy 6:16). This is not a mere metaphor. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5).
It is certainly clear in the Scriptures that those who have not yet been twice born must come "to the light" before they can ever receive the gift of eternal light (John 3:20). Indeed, the very process of "coming" is empowered by the drawing power of the Godhead Himself (John 6:44). No one who is "dead in trespasses and sin" (Ephesians 2:1) is able to come out of darkness on their own into the light, without the supernatural power of the "light" Himself.
Once we are rescued from the darkness by the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and "birthed" from above by the power demonstrated in the resurrection of our Lord, we who are so redeemed become "children of light" (1 Thessalonians 5:5). Thus empowered, we are to "walk in the light" (1 John 1:7) and have no "fellowship . . . with darkness" (2 Corinthians 6:14). With the "armour of light" complete (Romans 13:12), we can openly let our "light so shine" that we become a "light of the world" (Matthew 5:16, 14).